Bachelor Auction
by L-chan
Summary: Syaoran, Eriol, and Takashi participate in a high school fund-raiser. What do Sakura, Tomoyo, and Chiharu think? *Finished*
1. The Auction

L-chan's notes:  This is another one of those high school stories where no one has told anyone else how they feel.  It's been done to death, but here's another variation.  And, yes, I made up the part about Syaoran being able to communicate his thoughts to Meiling, so don't get nit-picky on me.

Disclaimer:  Card Captor Sakura and its characters belong to the lovely, talented, wonderful ladies of CLAMP, et al (if I suck up enough, do you think they'll give them to me?)

Bachelor Auction

Act One -- The Auction

The Seijou High School auditorium was buzzing as dozens of teenage girls whispered and giggled to each other.  The large velvet curtain was down, and the stage was empty except for a podium off to the side.  Then, the curtain moved slightly as a seventeen-year-old boy poked his dark head out to get a good look at the crowd.

"Wow, there are a lot of girls here," Takashi Yamazaki said, turning his squinted eyes to the two boys next to him.

"How can you tell?" Eriol Hiiragizawa joked, tugging at his bow tie.

"This is ridiculous," Syaoran Li muttered.  He ran his hands over his unruly brown hair, trying to keep it from sticking up too much.  "Why are we doing this again?"

"Because no one can say no to Rika," Takashi replied with a laugh.

Their thoughts went back to yesterday's free study period.

~~-~~

"Please?" Rika Sasaki asked, fluttering her eyelashes sweetly.  "Please?"

"But we're not even in the drama club," Syaoran told her.  He hoped that was a good enough reason.

Rika's eyes got rounder as she clasped her hands together.  "This is a very important fund raiser for us.  It will help pay for our sets and costumes for the rest of the year."

"But a bachelor auction?"  Takashi asked skeptically.

"Well, who says a fund raiser has to be a boring bake sale or car wash," Rika replied.  "This is much more fun."

"I still don't see why you need us," Eriol said.

Rika gave the boys her best smile. "You three are the most popular guys in school.  Can you imagine the money we'd bring in if we auctioned off dates with you?  Why, we might not even have to do a fund raiser next year!"  Well, that was laying it on a bit thick, but it seemed to be working.

The boys looked at each other.  Eriol appeared intrigued, Syaoran scowled, and Takashi -- well, who knew what he was thinking.

"We'll do it," Eriol finally said.

"What?"  Syaoran glared at his ancestor.

"Count us in," Takashi said.  Syaoran redirected his glare.

"You're the best," Rika gushed.  "I knew I could count on you.  Now, here's what you need to do…"

~~-~~

"Remind me to kill you later, Hiiragizawa," Syaoran said.  Just remembering how he'd gotten involved in this made him angry all over again.

"Of course," Eriol replied with a grin.

"Really.  I mean it."

"You always do."

Rika was winding her way through the participants, making sure everyone was present and giving last minute instructions.  She'd volunteered to be in charge of the auction since the other girls in the drama club wanted a chance at a dream date.  Rika had already met the man of her dreams and had been seeing him since her sixteenth birthday.  Her friends were jealous that she was the first one to have a boyfriend, so she'd made sure they all came tonight.  "You never know what could happen," she'd told them with a twinkle in her eye.

She arrived at the curtain opening and turned around to cast one last look at the assembly of attractive guys.  "Okay, is everyone ready?"  She looked at the scowling boy in the corner.  "Can someone lend Li a comb, please?"  Everyone laughed -- well, except for Syaoran -- and the nervous energy in the air dissipated.  "All right, here we go!"

Rika pushed through the curtain and walked to the podium.  A spotlight led her way, and the girls in the auditorium went wild with applause when they saw her.

"Welcome, ladies!"  Rika said into the microphone, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.  "On behalf of the drama club, I want to thank you all for coming to the very first Seijou High Bachelor Auction!"  The girls cheered, squealed, and whistled.  Rika laughed and looked down at her notes.  "We'd also like to extend our appreciation to _Il Segreto for its generous donation of gift certificates.  Each winning bidder will get to enjoy a wonderful Italian dinner with her favorite fellow."  More cheers followed this announcement.  "Now, let's get right down to business with our first bachelor."_

Sakura Kinomoto stood up from her seat in the fourth row in order to get a better look.  Next to her was her best friend, Tomoyo Daidouji, whose attention was focused on her camcorder's view screen.  "Are you really going to record the whole thing?" Sakura asked with a hint of weary exasperation in her voice.

"Of course," the violet-eyed girl replied.  "You're finally going to have a date with Li.  This must be documented."

Sakura's cheeks turned red.  "I never said I was here to bid on him," she replied, but they both knew better.  Of course she was there to try and get a date with Syaoran.  They'd been friends since the fourth grade, and in the sixth she'd developed a bit of a crush on him.  She didn't know where the courage to come to this crazy event had come from, but she thought it might be the best way to finally tell him how she felt.

"What about you, Tomoyo?"  Sakura asked, quickly turning the conversation away from herself.  "Who are you going to bid on?"

"Me?  No one," Tomoyo said unconvincingly.

"Really?  You mean there's not a single guy you're interested in?"

"That's right," Tomoyo lied as her mind conjured up a blue-haired, bespectacled boy with an innocently evil grin.  Or was that an evilly innocent grin?  Either way, that smile made her heart flip-flop.  She'd never admitted it to anyone, not even Sakura, who thankfully was oblivious to the whole thing.

In the row behind them, two other girls were having a similar discussion.

"So then why did you even come, Chiharu?"  Naoko Yanagisawa asked the auburn-haired girl next to her.

"Because Rika asked me to," Chiharu Mihara replied.

"But have you seen some of the guys here?  Somehow Rika managed to assemble the best looking boys in our class."

"No one can say no to Rika," Chiharu said.

Naoko agreed.  "I heard that she even got Yamazaki to participate."

Chiharu's eyes widened.  "What?"

Naoko laughed.  "That certainly got your attention."

Chiharu gave her friend a gentle whack with the event flyer.  "I just didn't think this kind of thing would appeal to him," she answered.  She'd known Takashi since they were little kids.  He never seemed to take anything seriously, and that drove her crazy.  _Why on earth would Naoko think I was interested in him?  She shook her auburn curls and turned her attention back to the stage._

A dark-haired boy was retreating behind the curtain as Rika announced the next bachelor.  "And now, ladies, here is Syaoran Li!"  The girls in the auditorium squealed, but no one appeared.  "Syaoran Li!" Rika repeated, and the audience giggled as four hands pushed the reluctant Syaoran onto the stage. 

Syaoran shoved his hands into his pockets and glared at the crowd.  This only made the girls squeal louder.

Rika looked at her notes.  "Syaoran is on the soccer and basketball teams, and… well, he didn't fill out the rest of his profile.  But who needs a profile?  Just look at him, girls!"  Syaoran darted evil eyes at Rika, but she just gave him a sweet smile.  "Let's start the bidding at 1000 yen."

"1000!"  A girl in the back cried out.

"1500!"  Another girl countered.

Sakura didn't want to appear too eager, so she counted the money in her hand as the bids climbed.  She felt Tomoyo nudge her.  "Don't miss out," the dark-haired girl whispered.

Sakura finally raised her hand.  "4000!" She called.

Syaoran's brown eyes found Sakura's green ones in the crowd.  _She's bidding?  __I don't believe it.  Thank you, Sasaki.  Thank you, Hiiragizawa._

"5000!"  A new voice shouted.  Syaoran looked for the source of the familiar voice and saw a girl with silky black hair and ruby eyes standing on the other side of the auditorium.  _Curse you, Sasaki.  Curse you, Hiiragizawa._

"6000!"  Sakura bid again.  She was running out of money.

"8000!"

Although Meiling Li had never exhibited any signs of inheriting the family's magic, Syaoran had found that if he concentrated all of his power, he could transmit his thoughts to his cousin.  It had been a while since they'd played that game, but it was important that he try to reach her now.  He stared at her with determination and clenched his fists.  _Stop bidding, Meiling.  Stop bidding._

"10000!"  Sakura called.  Maybe Tomoyo could lend her a couple thousand.

"12000!"  _Stop bidding, Meiling.  Stop bidding.  _

"13000!"  This was more than Sakura could afford, but she had to try.

"25000!"  Meiling shouted.  She could go on all night, and everyone knew it.  No one challenged her.

Sakura put her hand down.  "I lost," she said softly.  She should have known.  No one could compete with the Li family's money.

"And the lucky girl is Meiling Li!"  Rika announced.  Disappointed sounds traveled through the room.

_Either she didn't hear me, or she ignored me, Syaoran thought.  He looked at his cousin.  Meiling winked at him.  __She ignored me.  He scowled at her and stomped off the stage._

"Next, we have Eriol Hiiragizawa," Rika said as the blue-eyed boy appeared.  "He's also on the soccer and basketball teams, and he says that his goal is to one day take over the world."  Rika squinted at the page to make sure she'd read that last part right.  "So we know he's got a sense of humor," she continued.  "What girl could resist?  Let's start at 1000 yen!"

Several girls raised their hands and called out bids.  Eriol looked around the auditorium until his eyes found Tomoyo_.  She's here?  Of course she is.  She'll go anywhere Sakura goes.  But Tomoyo had a strange look on her face.  She lowered her camera and stared at him.  She opened her mouth and started to raise her hand, but she stopped herself._

Eriol raised his palm slightly in Tomoyo's direction but then changed his mind.  He wanted her to bid, but he wouldn't force her.  

"5000!"  Sakura called out.

Tomoyo's head snapped around.  "Well, we are friends," Sakura explained before Tomoyo said anything.  "And at least I'd have a date after all of this."

Eriol quickly flashed his palm at the crowd.  Several girls tried to bid, but they couldn't speak, and their arms were suddenly too heavy to lift.  They looked at each other in confusion.

"The winning bidder is Sakura Kinomoto!"  Rika said.  _That's funny.  __I thought he'd bring much more than that.  I wonder why more girls didn't try.  Maybe they don't think they can compete with Sakura._

Eriol grinned as he walked off the stage.  He'd thought for a long time that Tomoyo might feel something for him, and it looked like he might be right.  So if she wouldn't go out with him, he'd go to dinner with the one girl who would make her jealous.  Sakura.  Then he'd know for sure how she felt.

Sakura turned to Tomoyo with a big smile.  "You'll help me find something nice to wear, right?"

Tomoyo seemed lost for words.  The expression that appeared on her sweet face might have been anger, but Tomoyo never got angry.  That look quickly disappeared and was replaced with a forced smile.  "Of course," she finally answered.  Her eyes didn't sparkle at the thought of dressing up her friend, and she didn't carry on about her designs as she normally would have, but Sakura didn't notice.

The auction continued, and more girls won chances to go out with some of the most sought after boys in school.  "And, now, last but certainly not least," Rika began, "is Takashi Yamazaki!"  Cheers accompanied the dark-haired boy's entrance.

Naoko looked at Chiharu, who was staring at the stage, and smiled.

Rika read the profile as Takashi strutted on the stage.  "He's a member of the computer club and the debating team.  His goal is to be either a writer or an acrobat."  She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and the audience laughed.  She squinted to read the tiny words squeezed in at the bottom of the page.  "Speaking of acrobats, did you know that the first circus--" She crumpled the sheet into a ball and tossed it behind her.  "Let's begin at 1000 yen!"

"1000!"  A girl called.

"2000!"  Shouted another.

Chiharu reached into her pocket.  She had brought some money, and she didn't want to leave without a date.  "3000!"

Takashi's eyes widened as much as possible without actually opening when he recognized Chiharu's voice.  They'd known each other forever, but she'd never treated him as anything more than a friend.  _She doesn't like me, does she?  He wouldn't let himself hope that she did.  Maybe she was just here because Rika had asked her to come._

Naoko's smile got bigger as Chiharu continued to bid.  _Why am I doing this? the auburn-haired girl asked herself.  __Do I just want a date, or do I want a date with Yamazaki, of all people?  She tried not to think about the answer to that question and instead concentrated on outbidding the girls around her._

"Chiharu Mihara is the winner!"  Rika announced.  "Congratulations to all of you lucky girls.  We have a table set up in the back to collect your bids.  Remember to pick up your restaurant voucher before you leave.  Thank you all for coming.  I hope everyone has a wonderful time!"

~~-~~

To be continued in…

Act Two -- The Dates 


	2. The Dates

L-chan's notes:  Never write when you're sick.  I've reread the first part of this and my reaction was "What?"  The only one in character is Meiling, and that's because she didn't have any lines!  I kind of rushed through Yamazaki and Chiharu's part just to get it done.  And Sakura sure got over Syaoran fast--"Oh, well, I didn't get Syaoran, who else is there?"  Huh?  Many thanks to everyone who read and reviewed.  In this section, everyone will be at the restaurant at the same time, but I've written each couple's story separately. I hope it's not too confusing.  I just didn't want to keep jumping back and forth.

Disclaimer:  CCS...yada yada...CLAMP...blah blah...not mine...etc etc...boo-hoo.

Bachelor Auction

Act Two -- The Dates

~~-~~ Chiharu and Takashi ~~-~~

Chiharu shook her thick auburn curls and tried to decide what to do with the mess.  She pulled her hair up with one hand and tugged at the falling tendrils with the other.  That wasn't going to work.  She just had too darn much hair.  It was going to have to stay down.  She finished brushing her tresses and clipped the sides back with pearl barrettes.

She examined herself in the mirror.  The royal blue dress she wore had a scoop neck and tapered sleeves, and the clingy fabric accentuated her curvy figure.  A simple pearl necklace was fastened around her neck, and matching earrings dangled from her dainty lobes.  

_I'm trying too hard.  It's just Yamazaki, for crying out loud!  Naoko had wanted to help her get ready, but that would have been too embarrassing.  She'd already teased Chiharu mercilessly, and the teasing would probably continue for days to come._

The plan was to meet in front of the restaurant.  Takashi had to work a little late and would go straight there.  She got there a few minutes early, which turned out to be a bad idea, because it gave her time to get nervous.  _What's wrong with me?  Why am I getting nervous over Yamazaki?  We've known each other since we were in diapers!_

She stood on the sidewalk, restlessly shifting from one foot to the other.  She tried counting the cars as they went by to take her mind off things.  After a couple of minutes, she saw two familiar figures approach and waved.  "So, you guys are here tonight, too?" she asked.

Meiling was starry-eyed.  "Yes.  Isn't it exciting?  What a romantic place!  We're all going to have a wonderful time, aren't we?  Come on, Syaoran!"

"Help me," Syaoran mouthed to Chiharu as his cousin pulled him away.  She laughed and waved good-bye.    

She checked her watch.  _Where is he?  She raised her hand and almost had her index finger in her mouth before she stopped herself.  __I can't start biting my nails again.  They just grew back.  But she had to do something with this nervous energy.  She started pacing on the sidewalk.  __Five squares up, five squares back._

"Chiharu!"  A cheerful female voice called.  She looked up to see Sakura and Eriol approaching.

"Wow, it seems like everyone is here tonight," Chiharu said.

"Hoe?"  

"You'll see," Chiharu said with a laugh.  "Have a good time, you two!"

"Thanks, you too," Eriol said politely.  

As Eriol and Sakura went inside, Chiharu resumed her pacing.  _Five squares up, five squares back.  Five squares up, five squares back.  Five squares up...._

Finally, Takashi came running up.  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry.  I got away as soon as I could.  Have you been waiting long?"  He handed her a bouquet of yellow daisies.  "These are for you.  Did you know that the custom of giving flowers dates back to...."

Chiharu wasn't listening.  She was too busy staring at him.  _When did he grow up?  she wondered.  He was wearing a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt, and his blue tie was patterned with little red strawberries.  His shiny black hair was combed back neatly.  __He's beautiful.  Has he always looked like this?  How come I never noticed before? _

"Chiharu?"

_Oh, crap, what was he saying?  "Yes?"_

"Are we going to go inside, or do you want to stand out here all night?"

She blushed and hoped he hadn't noticed her staring.  _Baka, baka, baka, she scolded herself.  "Let's go in, of course."  _

The interior of the restaurant was designed like an Italian courtyard and had the atmosphere of an outdoor café.  The floor was made of terra cotta tile, and a large marble fountain stood in the center of the room.  The ceiling was black with thousands of tiny lights, replicating a beautiful starry night.  

_This is too fancy, Chiharu thought.  __It makes it feel like a real date.  Why couldn't we just go to a noodle shop or something?_

They didn't say much as they sat down at a table in the corner.  Thankfully, the server arrived quickly to bring water glasses and take their order.  When he left, Chiharu gave Takashi an embarrassed smile.  "This is weird, isn't it?"

"Weird?"

"You know, because this is such a 'date' place.  A place you bring someone special."

Takashi cringed at her choice of words.  _So, she doesn't think of me as "someone special"?  _

Chiharu noticed his strange expression.  "What's wrong?"

He quickly pasted his "I-never-take-anything-seriously" smile on his face.  "Nothing.  Did you know that we use the word 'date' because at one time, it was traditional to bring dates, the sweet fruit, as a token of affection when courting?  However, it was difficult to get dates out of season, so as time went by, dates were eventually replaced by chocolates."          

It was a good story, but not good enough.  "I don't think that's right," she told him.

"Oh?"  He shrugged.  "Well, suit yourself."

Their salads arrived, and an uncomfortable silence settled over them as they began eating.  Chiharu watched as Takashi kept his squinted eyes focused on his plate, shoveling the lettuce into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days.  She tried to think of something to say, to ease the awkwardness of the situation.  "How did you do on the physics exam?"

"Fine," he replied tersely, still concentrating on his plate.

_He's upset with me.  What did I do?  "I think I got Newton's Laws mixed up.  Which is the one about inertia?"  __Inertia.  That's a good word for how this conversation is going._

"The first one.  Did you know that fig newtons are named for Isaac Newton?  In fact, they were originally made of apples instead of figs.  They switched to figs because—"

"Yamazaki."

"What?"

She sighed.  "Can't we have a conversation like normal people?  Why do you always have to tell your lies?"

He finally looked up.  "Isn't that what you expect from me?" he asked, almost angrily.  "'Good old Yamazaki.  He couldn't be serious if he tried.  Couldn't tell the truth if his life depended on it.'"

"I don't…" she started to protest, but he was right.  _I do think of him that way.   "I'm sorry," she said softly.  _

She seemed a bit shocked by his outburst.  Well, he shocked himself with it.  He instantly regretted his harsh tone.  "I know my reputation.  The class clown.  The guy who can always be counted on for a laugh.  But I wish people would see that I'm more than that."  He rested his chin on his hand.  "You really don't know why I tell my stories?"  She shook her head.  "I want you to think I'm funny and smart and interesting."

"I do.  You're one of the top students in our class."

"No, that's not what I mean.  I do it to impress you."

She was surprised by this, and she was even more surprised by how much that meant to her. "Oh," she finally said.  She didn't really know how else to respond.  

He took a deep breath as he contemplated the wisdom of what he was about to say.  "Do you have any idea how special you are?" he asked.  "And you're so beautiful.  I finally realized that I've been doing my best to get your attention for years.  You could have any guy you wanted, so I've done everything I can think of to get you to notice me."

Her heart pounded at his revelation.  _I had no idea he felt that way.  Why didn't I notice?  "Is that… is that why you entered the auction?" she asked breathlessly._

"Well, I thought I was doing it because Rika asked me to," Takashi answered.  "But the truth is, I hoped you would be there."  He opened his eyes and looked at her intently.  "So, tell me, Chiharu Mihara.  Why _were you there?  Or, more to the point, why are you here now?"_

She wanted to look away, but she couldn't.  His eyes were the color of the night sky, the most amazing deep, dark blue she had ever seen.  (A/N: ^.^; Go with me on this one)  "I don't know," she answered shakily.

"Now who's lying?"

He was right.  She did know.  She was just afraid to admit it.  But the way he was looking at her… He was being honest, and he deserved her honesty as well.  "I was there because Rika asked me.  I didn't know you would be there.  And then, when I saw you…" She stopped when she felt her cheeks burning.

"Yes?"  He prompted.

"Well…" _I must look like a tomato.  "For some reason I… I just really wanted to go out with you," she finished in a rush._

He smiled.  "Really?"

"Really," she whispered.  "I didn't expect to feel this way, but I can't help it."

"I know," he replied.  Then he laughed.  "You were right.  This _is weird."_

She frowned sheepishly.  "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"I know," he said again.  "How long have we been friends?"

"Forever," she answered.  

He nodded.  "So it would probably be weird if I were to ask you out, wouldn't it?"

She pretended to think about it.  "I couldn't say.  Why don't you try it?"

"Maybe I will," he said, his eyes returning to their squinted state.  He picked up his water glass and took a long drink.  

She looked at him expectantly, but he didn't say anything else.  _What's that about?  As each silent second ticked by, her hands began to clench.  __Ooh, I could just—_

"Chiharu?" he said, a bored tone in his voice.  

"Yes?" she snapped.

He opened one eye and regarded her with an amused expression.  "Will you go to a movie with me on Sunday?"

Her hands unclenched.  "I'd love to."  _Naoko will be thrilled, she thought, __and Rika—"Takashi," she said, "do you think Rika knew?"_

He chuckled.  "Probably."

"Remind me to thank her."

The server returned to collect their salad dishes and present their entrees.  Chiharu looked at her dinner plate, and a wicked smile twitched at her lips.  "I wonder why lasagna is made in layers."

Takashi grinned.  He held his fork in one hand and raised the index finger of the other.  "It's funny you should say that.  Did you know that the layers of meat, cheese, and noodles in lasagna represent...."

~~-~~ Meiling and Syaoran ~~-~~

Meiling hummed to herself as she brushed her silky black hair.  She gathered the long locks and twisted them into a neat bun.  She pulled two strands down to frame her face and studied the result.  _Very grown-up, she thought.  __Perfect._

She continued humming as she twirled around her bedroom, looking more like a little girl playing dress-up than the young woman she'd seen in the mirror.  The full skirt of her ruby red dress floated up as she spun, and the sequined bodice sparkled, matching her sparkling eyes.  She'd been waiting for this night for so long.  It was like a dream.  Like a fairy tale.  Cinderella was finally going to the ball.

In his room across the hall, Syaoran was sitting at his desk, looking at a photograph.  It was a picture Tomoyo had taken after one of his basketball games.  He and Eriol were in their uniforms and their fingers flashed the victory sign.  Sakura, in her cheerleading outfit, was between them with an arm around each boy and a big smile on her face.  It was his favorite picture, or at least it would have been if Hiiragizawa hadn't been in it.

_Sakura.  Would he ever find a way to tell her how he felt?  They'd been through so much together, and sometimes it seemed like no one else understood him the way she did.  He couldn't pinpoint the moment he'd fallen in love with her.  It was just something that had crept up on him over the years, going all the way back to their card chasing days._

A knock on his door pulled him out of his reverie.  "Syaoran?  Are you ready?"  Meiling opened the door and poked her head in.

Syaoran quickly set the picture down between one of his sisters and one of him and Meiling in Hong Kong.  He moved the frames around, pretending that he'd just been rearranging his desk.  "I'm ready.  Let's go."      

***

Meiling held onto Syaoran's arm as they walked to the restaurant, chatting happily about this and that.  He wasn't really listening, but when Meiling talked, listening wasn't necessary.  She could keep herself entertained.  

_What am I going to do?  he thought glumly.  __She's going to read too much into this "date".  She always goes overboard.  I need to tell her how I feel, once and for all.  She'll understand, won't she?  Of course she won't.    _

Chiharu was standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, apparently waiting for her own date.  She waved to them.  "So, you guys are here tonight, too?"

"Yes.  Isn't it exciting?  What a romantic place!"  Meiling gushed.  "We're all going to have a wonderful time, aren't we?  Come on, Syaoran!"  She tugged on his arm and pulled him to the door.

"Help me," he mouthed comically to Chiharu.  She giggled and waved good-bye.

Meiling's face lit up when she saw the inside of the restaurant.  "Look, Syaoran!  Isn't it beautiful?  It's just like being outside!"  

They were seated at a table near the fountain.  Meiling snuck a glance at Syaoran over her menu.  He was wearing a black suit, and a bold red tie made a striking contrast with his white shirt.  He'd even managed to somewhat tame his unruly chestnut hair.  _He's perfect, she thought, and sighed dreamily.  Then she frowned a little.  __Well, almost perfect, she corrected herself, noticing the scowl on his handsome face.  __I wish he'd smile more._

Syaoran was still silently cursing Hiiragizawa for getting him into this mess.  He'd managed to put Meiling off for years.  No matter how much time they spent together or how often they were alone, they'd never really had a "date".  And now, here they were, and she looked so happy….  _I can't do this, he thought.  __I can't do any of this.  I can't be here with her.  I can't tell her how I really feel.  I can't break her heart.  I can't—_

"You look wonderful tonight, Syaoran," Meiling said.  He looked up to see her smiling at him.  He grunted and returned his attention to the menu.  "Well?" she asked impatiently.

"Well, what?"

"What about _me?"_

He sighed and raised his brown eyes again.  He was actually surprised.  He saw her all the time, but maybe, because of that, he never really looked at her.  Tonight, she seemed different.  She was stunning.  "You look nice, too," he managed to say, and he even blushed a bit.  _It's just Meiling, dummy.  He shook his head when he felt the heat in his cheeks and took a drink of water._

After they placed their order with the waiter, Meiling waved at someone behind him.  "Look who else is here," she said.  Syaoran turned and saw Sakura and Eriol coming in.  His eyes locked with Sakura's, and he couldn't look away.  If Meiling was stunning, then Sakura was drop-dead gorgeous.  But she was looking at him with an odd expression on her face.  He saw her stumble, and Eriol put a hand on her back to steady her.  Eriol said something to her, and she nodded.  Syaoran scowled and tore his gaze away.

"Isn't this a great place?"  Meiling asked.  "We'll have to come here again sometime.  I wonder what they have for dessert.  Maybe some strawberries and cream, ooh, or chocolate cake, wouldn't that be good?"  She rattled on as the server returned with their salads.

_She needs to know the truth, he thought.  He was going to back out until he saw Sakura.  He was just going to have dinner with his cousin and pretend that everything was fine, the same as it always was.  Then he saw her and remembered that things weren't fine and nothing would ever be the same.  Maybe she was with Hiiragizawa, but that didn't change the way he felt.  And to continue this charade of an engagement wouldn't be fair, not to him or to Meiling._

This was the wrong time and the wrong place, but if he didn't say it now, he might not find the courage again for a long time.  _Get it over with.  Just tell her.  "I need to talk to you, Meiling."_

She set down her salad fork.  "Oh, that reminds me.  I need to ask you about something, since Wei—"

"I'm serious.  Please listen to me."  Syaoran took a deep breath.  He reached across the table and took Meiling's hand.  She looked at him, surprised.  "I love you, Meiling."  Her eyes widened.  "You are my cousin and my friend.  You mean so much to me, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

She broke into a big smile and opened her mouth to speak.

"But," he hurriedly continued, "I'm not _in love with you."_

Her smile disappeared.  "Syaoran...."  _Why are you telling me this tonight?  On my special night?_

He looked at her gently.  "And you're not in love with me, either."

This took her aback.  _Of course I am.  Aren't I?_

"You're still holding on to a promise we made when we were kids, back when we didn't even know what love was."  Syaoran closed his eyes.  "Do you remember the rest of that promise?"

Meiling thought back to that day, long ago, when two small children sat outside, enjoying a summer afternoon.  _I love you, she'd said to him.__  I will be your bride.  Promise me.  I'll be your bride, unless.... "Unless you find someone you love more than me," she whispered.  "Then I'll let you go."  Tears formed in her eyes.  __It can't be.  _

He nodded.  "It's time to set each other free from that promise, Meiling."

_It's true.  He's found someone else.  "Who is it?"  she asked, her voice shaking._

"Sakura."

She knew it.  Somewhere deep inside, she knew it.  "How long...?" She couldn't even finish the thought.

He sighed.  "I don't know.  Forever."

She nodded in understanding as a tear slid down her cheek.  _Don't cry.  Don't cry!  "Have you...have you told her?"_

He shook his head.  "I wanted to tell you first."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  When she opened them again, he was looking at her, his brown eyes filled with concern.  _This is really happening, isn't it?  _

"Oh, Meiling.  You deserve so much better than me," Syaoran said with a sad smile.  "You deserve someone who will be over the moon for you, who will love you so completely and make you happier than you ever imagined you could be."  He gripped her hand tightly.  "I want that for you."

She couldn't stop the tears from falling.  But he was right.  He was always right.  They were never meant to be together.  It was time to let go of that childhood dream.

She searched in her purse for her handkerchief.  _Lip gloss, mascara, gum... where is the damn thing?    _

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.  _Why do I have to hurt her like this?        _

"No, but I will be."  She wiped her eyes.  "I think," she added with a choked, hollow laugh.  "What about you?"

"What _about me?"_

"Are you going to tell her?"

He couldn't stop himself from looking over at Sakura and Eriol.  They were thoroughly engrossed in their own conversation as if they were the only two people in the world.  He frowned.  _How long have I been competing with him?  I'll never beat him.          _

"Syaoran."  Meiling was watching him.

He looked back at her.  _Why can't I love her?  Everything would be so much easier.  But no, I had to fall in love with someone who'll never love me back.  He shook his head.  "I can't." _

She saw the pain on his face and knew that he was hurting just as much as she was.  _What a sorry pair we are._

The waiter returned with their dinner and set the dishes down in front of them.  Meiling looked at her plate.  The heavy pasta, gooey cheese, thick sauce... it was all too much.  Just the thought of eating made her stomach turn.  "I don't think I'm really hungry after all."

"Me neither.  Do you want to go home?"  he asked.  She nodded.

They stood up, and Meiling laid her meal certificate on the table.  Syaoran helped her with her coat.  Then he put his arm around her as they walked out of the restaurant.

They walked home in silence. The only sound was her occasional sniffle and the fluttering of her handkerchief.  He kept his arm around her shoulders, a gesture that brought comfort to them both.

_Meiling.  She heard his voice in her head.  __I'll always need you.  You'll always be my friend.  Promise me._

"I promise," she whispered.

~~-~~ Sakura and Eriol ~~-~~

Sakura stood in front of the full-length mirror, admiring her reflection.  "This dress is absolutely gorgeous, Tomoyo!"  It was a deep emerald green gown with an empire waist.  Its thin straps slid over her delicate shoulders, and the A-line skirt reached her ankles.  It was a simple design, but the exquisite fabric gave it a beautiful sheen.  Tomoyo had even brought matching shoes with low heels to complete the look.

"I'm glad you like it," Tomoyo said with little enthusiasm.  She had designed the dress thinking that Sakura would be going out with Syaoran, hence the green color.  Now someone else would be seeing it and complimenting the girl in it.

"Will you help me with my hair?"

Tomoyo crossed the room and took the hairbrush from her friend's outstretched hand.  She ran the brush through Sakura's honey-colored hair, each stroke a little harder than the last, until she yelped.  "Ouch!  Not so hard!"  

"Sorry," she muttered in a tone that sounded anything but sorry.  She tightly braided the long locks and secured the ends with a green band.  "There, all done."

"Thanks.  Now, which earrings do you like?"

_Oh, God, how much longer is this going to go on? Tomoyo asked herself.  She idly pointed to the pair in Sakura's left hand, not really caring which bloody earrings she wore to impress bloody Eriol Hiiragizawa.  As Sakura fastened the studs, she started yammering about the restaurant.  _

_As long as the person I love is happy, then I can be happy, too.  I believed that once.  Now Tomoyo knew just how difficult it was to be happy without the one you loved.  And she was taking it out on her dearest friend, who actually was innocent in the whole thing.  __I should tell her, get it all out in the open, and then I can stop feeling like the world's biggest bi—_

The doorbell rang.  "He's here!  How do I look?  Thanks so much for coming over.  I owe you.  I'll call you when I get home and tell you all about it."  Sakura hugged Tomoyo quickly and ran out of the room.  A minute later, Tomoyo heard the front door open and close, and then the sound of a car pulling away.

Tomoyo sank down on Sakura's bed and closed her eyes.

The bottom drawer of Sakura's desk slid open, and two black eyes peered out to make sure the coast was clear.  "All right, let's go!" Kero said, punching his little plush fists in the air.

The dark-haired girl was silent.  Kero floated over to her.  "Tomoyo?  Hey, Tomoyo?"  He waved his yellow arms in front of her face until she looked at him.  "Get your camera.  Aren't we going to follow them?"  They always followed Sakura on her dates.

Tomoyo sighed.  "Not this time."  She curled up and clutched one of Sakura's pillows to her chest, finally giving in to the tears she'd been fighting all day.

"Tomoyo...." Kero's voice was filled with concern.  

She lifted her violet eyes and met the sun guardian's gaze.  She was tired of keeping her feelings inside.  The weight was too much for her to bear.  She had to tell someone—but Kero?  Well, she hadn't been able to tell anyone else.

"Kero, can I talk to you about something?" 

***

Sakura was unusually silent in the car.  She was trying not to think about Syaoran, but it wasn't working.  The whole time she was getting ready she thought about him, how she wished she could spend the evening looking into his beautiful eyes.  She'd tell him how she felt, and he'd admit that he felt the same, and then they'd lean across the table—

"Quiet tonight, aren't we?"

Sakura hadn't even noticed that they'd arrived at the restaurant.  Eriol was holding the car door open for her.  She gave him an embarrassed smile and got out of the car.  "Just something on my mind, I guess," she said.  _Or someone._

"That's a relief.  I thought perhaps I was boring you."  Eriol gave her a charming grin and offered her his arm as they walked to the door.

She laughed.  "You, boring?  Never!"

"Just checking."

They saw Chiharu waiting in front of the restaurant.  "Chiharu!"  Sakura waved as they walked up.  

Chiharu smiled at them.  "Wow, it seems like everyone is here tonight." 

"Hoe?"

"You'll see," Chiharu said, laughing.  "Have a good time, you two!"

"Thanks, you too," Eriol responded.  He opened the door to the restaurant and graciously allowed his date to enter.  

As she stepped inside, Sakura looked around.  It was a beautiful restaurant with romantic candle-lit tables and the soothing, gentle trickling sound of a fountain.  She saw someone waving and recognized Meiling.  She lifted her hand to wave back, but stopped when the brown-haired boy sitting across from Meiling turned around.  _Syaoran.  He was staring at her, and all she could do was stare back.  __What is that look in his eyes?  It's almost as if—_

"Sakura?"  Eriol gestured toward a table, and she tried to follow him, but she stumbled.  He rested a hand against her back to steady her.  "Are you all right?" he asked.  She nodded, even though she was anything but all right.  She didn't realize how difficult it would be to see Syaoran and Meiling together.

They sat down, and Sakura pretended to look at the menu.  If she turned her head the slightest bit to the right, she could see Syaoran out of the corner of her eye.  _Is he having a good time with her?  What is going on with them?  He's never acted as if he took their engagement seriously.  Does he have feelings for her after all?  What if I __had won instead?  Would he have been happy to come here with me?   These jumbled thoughts ran through her mind, leaving her even more confused. _

Eriol was watching her with a knowing look.  "You like him."  She stiffened.  _Caught.  She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.  "Don't give me that, Sakura.  I've known you too long.  Besides, I understand that there was quite the bidding war between you and Meiling over our favorite bishounen."_

She blushed.  "I wouldn't say that."  Eriol raised an eyebrow.  He wasn't going to let her get away with anything.  "Okay, fine, so I like him a little."  If possible, the eyebrow was cocked even higher.  "All right, a lot."  He grinned.  _Now I see why Syaoran always gets so annoyed with him._

She was saved from saying more by the waiter's arrival.  They placed their orders and were quickly presented with salads and a breadbasket.  

"Did I tell you how lovely you look tonight?" Eriol asked.

Sakura giggled with embarrassment at the compliment, temporarily forgetting about Syaoran and Meiling.  "Yes, you did.  Thank you.  Tomoyo made the dress, of course.  She always does an amazing job."  She didn't see the pained expression that crossed his face at the mention of Tomoyo's name.  "You look wonderful, too," she added, admiring his navy suit and bow tie.

"Thanks," he replied.  He'd managed to distract her, and she seemed cheerful again.  "So, what did you think of the physics exam?"

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes.  "Don't remind me.  No matter how much I study, I just can't get it.  All those laws and formulas trip me up."

"I'll help you, if you want."

She smiled at him.  "Don't offer unless you mean it, because I will take you up on it."

"Good."     

She'd thought about asking Syaoran if he'd study with her, but after he practically tore his hair out trying to get her to understand geometry, she didn't think it would be wise.  _Syaoran.  She sighed.  She'd managed not to think about him for almost five minutes, a new record.  _

Her eyes wandered over to the table in the center of the room.  She saw Syaoran take Meiling's hand.  Her eyes narrowed.  _So there is something between them.  She watched as he said something that made Meiling smile, and she wanted to scream.      _

"I'm sorry I'm such a poor substitute," Eriol suddenly said.

Sakura jerked her gaze back to her date.  A sheepish blush crept into her cheeks.  He knew what she was doing, so there was no point in denying it.  "I'm staring at them again, aren't I?  I'm sorry."  

Eriol smiled.  "I know.  It's okay."  He looked around.  "So, where's your shadow?"

"Hoe?"

"Your tagalong.  Tomoyo.  Shouldn't she be hiding behind a plant or something?"  

Sakura frowned.  "That's not nice, Eriol."

_No, it isn't, he thought.  __What's wrong with me?  But he thought for sure that Tomoyo would be nearby.  Maybe he was wrong about her after all.  He reached for his water glass and took a sip of the cool liquid._

"Don't you like Tomoyo?"

Eriol choked on the water.  He pressed his napkin to his mouth as he coughed, and his eyes teared up.  When he was able to speak again, he answered her.  "Why should I like Tomoyo?  Just because she's intelligent, kind, thoughtful, sweet, charming, and elegant?  Just because she has the voice of an angel, the face of a saint, and the body of a goddess?  Just because, behind that innocent smile, she's almost as wicked as I am?"

Sakura nodded.  "Those sound like pretty good reasons to me.  So?"

He picked up his fork and pushed what was left of his salad around the plate.  "No, I don't like her," he answered softly.  "I love her."

Sakura's green eyes widened.  She hadn't been expecting that.  "Really?  Since when?"

_How did this come up?  Eriol considered evading the issue, but he'd kept it bottled up for so long that the words just came tumbling out.  "A couple of years ago, when I was going through that whole mess with Kaho, she was there. I was angry and hurt, and she helped me so much, just listening to me when I needed someone to talk to.  I really saw for the first time just how incredibly special she is, so warm and caring.  I couldn't tell her how I felt then—the timing was wrong.  But ever since, it's just gotten harder and harder.  I think I may actually be afraid of her reaction."  Eriol took a deep breath.  It felt good to finally admit it.  He didn't know why he hadn't confided in Sakura before.    _

"Wow," she said finally.  "I had no idea."

"Well, there you have it," he replied.  "I actually had the crazy idea that my being here with you would make her jealous," he added with a wry laugh.

_Jealous?  Sakura turned that word over in her mind as the waiter set their entrees in front of them.  She had been in her own world while getting ready for the evening, but even so, she'd noticed that Tomoyo hadn't acted like herself.  __I wonder...._

"Speaking of jealous..." Eriol remarked.

Sakura looked up from her plate.  "What?"

"It looks like my cute descendants are leaving."

Her eyes darted over to Syaoran and Meiling's table.  Sure enough, the two were getting up.  She saw Syaoran put his arm around Meiling's shoulders as they walked out.  Her cheeks burned in anger.  _He's always insisted that he only thinks of her as a sister.  __Does he love her?  She picked up her knife and began cutting her chicken with slow, deliberate strokes, imagining that the blade was slicing through—_

"Sakura?"  She ignored Eriol as she repeatedly stabbed the chicken with her fork.  "Sakura, I think it's dead."

"What?"

"The chicken.  I'm pretty sure they kill it before they serve it, so you don't have to keep attacking it."  His joke fell flat.  Sakura looked so miserable, and he didn't know how to help her.  He'd seen the cozy way Syaoran and Meiling had walked out, but he was sure it wasn't what it looked like_.  Syaoran is crazy about Sakura; I know he is, he thought.  __It's not my place to say anything, but I can't stand seeing her like this.  "Sakura, about Syaoran—"_

"I don't want to talk about it," she interrupted.  She looked up into his kind eyes.  "Please."

He nodded.  "Okay.  So, what should we talk about, then?"  He popped a shrimp into his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully.  

"Tomoyo."

He managed to swallow without choking.  "Back to that, are we?"

She tilted her head and regarded him with those piercing green eyes.  "You really need to tell her how you feel."

_Pot, meet the kettle.  He snorted.  "And why should I take advice from you on this subject?"  _

She lowered her eyes.  "I don't guess you should."  He immediately felt guilty for being so harsh, but before he could apologize, she continued.  "I just think you two could make each other happy.  You both deserve to be happy."  She kept her gaze on her plate as she skewered a bite of chicken and spinach.

"So do you," he said softly.

She felt tears form in her eyes and tried to wipe them away with her napkin.  "Maybe we really should talk about something else," she said with a tremulous smile.

"I think you're right," he replied.  He tried to think of a safe topic.  "How's your brother?"

"I haven't seen much of him lately.  He's been working a lot.  And with the baby coming, he's a nervous wreck.  It's funny, actually.  But poor Kaho—" She stopped suddenly and put a hand over her mouth.  "Oops, I'm sorry."

He shook his head.  "It's all right, really.  Go on."

As they continued eating, Sakura filled him in on the pending addition to the Kinomoto family, and Eriol made her laugh with tales of Nakuru and Spinel's latest misadventures.  The conversation was innocuous on the surface, but their previous discussion was not forgotten.    

They were about to leave when Sakura remembered that she promised to bring Kero a piece of cake.  The server quickly brought the wrapped dessert to the table.  "Now are we ready to go?" Eriol asked.  Sakura nodded.

She laid her gift certificate on the table and put her coat on.  They had to pass the marble fountain to reach the door, and she stopped in front of it.  Water trickled down from the elaborate angel sculpture and splashed into the large basin.  She stared at her reflection in the water, but in her mind she saw Syaoran's face.  _What am I going to do? She asked herself sadly._

Eriol came up beside her.  "I'll make you a deal," he said quietly.  "I'll talk to Tomoyo if you talk to Syaoran."

I have to talk to him, don't I?  I have to tell him how I feel, even if he doesn't feel the same way.  "Deal," she answered.

They stood there in silence for a moment, and then she felt him press a coin into her hand.  "Make a wish," he whispered.

"Make one with me?"

He nodded and fished another coin out of his pocket.  They closed their eyes, counted to three, and tossed the coins into the fountain, hoping that whoever was in charge of such things was listening.

~~-~~

To be continued in...

Act Three -- The Truth 


	3. The Truth

L-chan's notes:  Thanks to everyone who read my little story.  I really appreciate all of the kind reviews.  This is the last chapter.   

Disclaimer:  They're still not mine!  Curses, foiled again.

Bachelor Auction

Act Three -- The Truth

"Sakura, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Sakura turned around in her chair and saw Syaoran still sitting at his desk.  Classes were out for the day, and they were the only two left in the classroom.  His face was serious—but then, it was always serious.  He looked into her eyes for a brief moment before he spoke.  "I just wanted to tell you that I—"

"I love you, too!"  She interrupted.

The blood drained out of his face.  "What?"

"Oh, Syaoran, I've wanted to tell you for so long.  I'm so glad you feel the same way."

He closed his eyes and shook his head.  "Sakura, I'm sorry if I ever gave you any reason to think that.  I was going to say that I'm leaving at the end of the school year."

"Hoe?"

"Meiling and I are going back to Hong Kong.  We're getting married on my eighteenth birthday."

She stared at him.  Tears formed in her eyes and began sliding down her cheeks.  "It's not true," she said hoarsely.  "It can't be true.  I love you, and you love me.  I won't let you leave!  I won't give you up!"

"I don't love you, Sakura.  I love Meiling."

"No!"

~~~~~

Sakura bolted up in her bed as the telephone rang shrilly.  _A dream?  A dream!   Her heart was pounding as if she'd run a great distance, and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and put a hand over her heart, trying to calm down.  She knew her dreams could be important, so she replayed the scene in her mind, remembering as much of it as she could.  __Syaoran said he was leaving to marry Meiling.  I said he couldn't because I love him.  I love him? _

Kero pushed open his drawer.  "Sakura!  Answer the damn phone!  It's driving me crazy."

Her eyes snapped open.  "Sorry, Kero," she mumbled as she lifted the receiver.  "Hello, Kinomoto residence."

"I was beginning to wonder if you ever came home last night," Tomoyo's voice said.

"Tomoyo!"  Sakura had forgotten to call her when she got home from the restaurant.  "It… it was late, and I didn't want to wake you," she fabricated, fingers crossed.  "I thought we could talk at school."

"You must have had a good time with Eriol," Tomoyo said, her voice dripping with contempt.  "Oh, but maybe you're still having a good time, and that's why you took so long to answer the phone."

Sakura stared at the phone, speechless.  This wasn't Tomoyo.  "What does that mean?  Is something wrong, Tomoyo?  You're not acting like yourself at all."

Tomoyo sighed.  "No, I'm not.  I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.  You're right.  We can talk at school.  See you then."  She hung up without waiting for Sakura to reply.

"But—" The only response was a dial tone.  Sakura hung up the phone and tried to figure out what had just happened_.  Is Tomoyo upset because I had dinner with Eriol?  She remembered her conversation with Eriol about Tomoyo. __I actually had the crazy idea that my being here with you would make her jealous, he'd said.  _

It made sense now.  She was jealous.  It was the only possible explanation.  Sakura broke into a big smile as she retrieved the phone and punched in a number.

"Hello!  You've reached Hiiragizawa, Akizuki, and Suppi," a perky voice answered, sounding more like a secretary for a law firm than the false form of a moon guardian.

"Nakuru!  This is Sakura."

"Sakura!  How wonderful!  What's going on?"

"I need to talk to Eriol.  Is he awake?"

"If he's not, I'll wake him up," Nakuru replied with a wicked giggle.  Sakura could hear Nakuru's footsteps as she bounded up the stairs.  "So, Sakura, how are you?  No, how's Touya?"

"Still married," Sakura answered with a laugh.

"Damn.  Let me know if that ever changes."  Sakura heard Nakuru knock on a door.  "Oh, Eriol," Nakuru's voice called sweetly.  There was a creaking sound as the door opened, and more footsteps.  "E—RI—OL!"

Sakura could hear Eriol's muffled cursing as he berated Nakuru for screaming in his ear.  "What a lovely way to wake up," his sardonic voice said into the phone.  She could picture him rolling his eyes.  "Not that I don't enjoy talking to you, Sakura.  What can I do for you?"

She quickly recounted her conversation with Tomoyo, and what she thought it meant.  "She sounded so angry, and hurt, and almost… hateful.  I've never known her to act like this."

There was silence.  And then Eriol was laughing.  It started off as a quiet chuckling, but it just got louder and louder until he was cackling like a madman.  "Eriol?"  Sakura was beginning to think that all of her friends were losing their minds.

He finally calmed down, but there was still laughter in his voice.  "She's jealous.  It worked.  I'm just so relieved.  Now I can tell her.  Which means," he continued, "that you have to keep up your end of our deal, as well."

_Syaoran.  The dream.  She'd almost forgotten about it.  __Should I ask him what it means?  "Eriol," she began nervously, "how do I know if I've had a foretelling dream?"_

"You mean, after all this time, you still can't tell?  What's Kerberos been teaching you, anyway?"

"Never mind that.  I dreamt that Syaoran told me he was going back to Hong Kong to marry Meiling."  She purposely left out the part where she'd confessed her love for him.  She still hadn't figured that part out herself.

He asked her some questions about how the dream felt, how clear it was.  Then he muttered to himself as he worked it out.  It was an annoying habit, but she'd gotten used to it over the years.  "No," he said finally.  "I don't think this was prophetic.  I think it was just your subconscious preparing you for a worst-case scenario.  Try to forget about it.  Sometimes a sealing staff is just a sealing staff, you know?"

_Forget about it.  Yeah, right.  "Sakura, we'll talk more about this later.  Otherwise, we'll be late for school."_

"Hoe!"  Sakura slammed the phone down.  She jumped out of bed and scrambled around for her uniform.  _Blouse, skirt… where's my blazer?         _

"Sakura."  She turned around to see Kero floating in the doorway, holding her blazer in his paws.  "Did you just hang up on Eriol?"

She groaned.  "Oh, no.  I'll apologize when I get to school.  Where's my backpack?  Did I remember to make lunch?  Is there anything for breakfast?  I'm going to be late!"  She shoved her arms into her blazer, grabbed her bag, and raced down the stairs.

***

Sakura spent the afternoon observing Tomoyo during class.  They'd eaten lunch together, and Tomoyo had apologized for her bad mood, but she still seemed sullen.  Sakura exchanged looks with Eriol, but he just winked at her.  He had a plan.  She needed to come up with one of her own.

She wished she could have watched Syaoran as well, but he sat behind her, the same as he had since the fourth grade.  He often joked that if he ever had to sit anywhere else his grades would suffer.  She brought him luck, he said.  She could use a little of that luck herself.  

She and Eriol had met during the morning recess and resolved to declare their feelings after school.  They'd even linked pinkies on it, so she had to go through with it.  _But what am I going to say?  Before she could come up with an answer to that question, the final bell rang, and the sensei dismissed the class._

Tomoyo sighed as she gathered up her books.  She just wanted to go home and sink into a hot bath, to forget about the world for a few hours.  As she stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder, she felt someone come up behind her.  "Meet me in the music room," a voice whispered huskily in her ear.

She spun around.  "Eriol?"  He was grinning at her.  "What?  Why?"

He caught her off guard.  _Poor thing, he thought wickedly.  __I'm enjoying this way more than I should be.  "Remember the vocal competition?" he asked.  She looked at him blankly.  "You're singing.  I'm your accompanist.  You wanted to rehearse today."  He spoke slowly as if she were a small child._

She blinked.  "Oh.  Oh, of course.  Well, then, I'll… I'll see you there in a few minutes."  She bowed her head and brushed past him, hoping he hadn't noticed her reddening cheeks. 

He had.  He chuckled as he picked up his books and followed her out of the room.

Syaoran remained seated at his desk, staring at the honey-haired girl in front of him.  She was bent over her notebook, frantically scribbling down the information written on the blackboard.  They were the only two left in the classroom.  

_Now's as good a time as any, he thought.  __Besides, Meiling will kill me if I don't talk to her.  They'd stayed up half the night talking, sitting on his bed in their pajamas and drinking hot chocolate, something they hadn't done in years.  She'd finally convinced him to tell Sakura how he felt.  No girl in her right mind would turn him down, she'd told him, and especially not for Hiiragizawa.  He wasn't so sure, but he had to know._

"Sakura, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Sakura froze.  Her pencil fell from her hand and rolled off of her desk.  _It's just like the dream, she thought.  __Eriol was wrong.  Oh, God.  She turned around slowly.  Sure enough, Syaoran was regarding her with his trademark serious expression._

He looked into her emerald eyes.  _She's afraid of something?  Why is she afraid?  Whatever he thought he saw in her eyes vanished, and he wondered if he imagined it.  __Looking for a reason to back out?  Your mother should have named you for a chicken, not a wolf, he chided himself.  __Say it.  He took a deep breath and prepared to bare his soul.  "I just wanted to tell you that I—"_

"I know."

"I lo—What?"  He sat there with his mouth hanging open, trying to figure out what had just happened.  "You… know," he repeated slowly.  "You know?"

She nodded.  "I'm happy for you."  She didn't sound happy.  She sounded wistful.

Of all the responses he'd imagined, that was not one of them.  _What the hell does that__ mean?  "You're happy for me?"  He was beginning to sound like a parrot.  "What about __you?  How do __you feel about it?"_

Now _she was confused.  "What does it have to do with me?"_

He knew that she could be oblivious at times, but this was ridiculous.  "It has everything to do with you!"  

_What is he talking about?  "Why?  Am I invited?"_

Syaoran suddenly had an urge to bang his head against the desk until he passed out.  This was not going the way he thought it would.  Not even in his nightmares did it go like this.  He put his hands together in a T shape.  "Okay, time out.  What are we talking about?"

Sakura looked at him as if he'd gone crazy.  He was beginning to think that himself.  "We're talking about you and Meiling getting married."

"We are?"  Then the meaning of her sentence hit him.  "_We are?"_

"Because I saw you… with her… at the restaurant… and then the dream… it was just like this…" She babbled incoherently about prophecies and Eriol and Hong Kong.  "…and you're getting married."

He shook his head and stood up.  He walked around to her desk and knelt down in front of her.  "Why would I marry Meiling when I'm in love with you?" he asked her softly.

Her breath caught in her throat.  "You are?" she whispered hoarsely.  He nodded, and she could see it in his beautiful brown eyes.  They shone with warmth and tenderness.  And love.  _What if my dream had come true?  What if I'd lost him?  Everything she'd been feeling for the past two days finally caught up with her.  She put her hands over her eyes and began to cry._

_Now, this is more like what I expected, he thought wryly.  He pulled her hands away from her face and held them in his own.  "Sakura."_

She sniffled and opened her eyes.  The dream was right about one thing.  She knew it now.  "I'm sorry," she said with a tremulous smile.  "I thought you were going away.  I was just so afraid that you would leave me before I could tell you that I… I love you, too."

"You do?"

She nodded.  "For so long.  I just didn't know how much."

"Me too," he said.  He pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and gently wiped away her tears.  "Don't cry anymore.  You know crying never does any good."

She laughed.  "How many times have you told me that?"

"Apparently not enough," he answered with a grin.  He stood up and offered her his hand.  "Come on.  I'll walk you home, and we can talk some more."  When she took his hand and stood up, he pulled her close and lightly brushed his lips against hers.  She wrapped her arms around him and returned the sweet caress of his kiss.      

She looked up at him and smiled coyly.  "Can we do that some more, too?" 

"Oh, yeah."   

***

The final note reverberated in the music room, and Eriol lifted his hands from the piano's keyboard.  "That was lovely, Tomoyo."

She didn't look at him and instead shuffled through her music.  "You were slow," she grumbled.

"Was I?  Maybe you were fast."  Actually, the song was perfectly fine, but if she wanted to pick a fight with him, he'd let her.  He knew what her real problem was, and it had nothing to do with the piece. 

"It's my song.  I should know what the tempo is.  If you can't keep up, I'll find someone else to accompany me.  I'd hate to lose because my pianist had his thumb in his ear." 

He grinned, but she didn't see it.  "If you lose, it'll be because you can't hit the high A," he goaded.  Her performance was flawless, but she was particularly sensitive about that note.

She spun around and glared at him.  "Don't take it out on me because your plan didn't work."

His grin disappeared.  _She knew?  It didn't?  "What do you mean by that?"_

"Sakura is in love with Li," she said haughtily.

"I know that," he answered slowly.  _What does that have to do with us?_

"So, your little stunt was all for nothing."  Tomoyo went back to studying her music, unnecessarily noting the troublesome A.

Eriol stood up from the piano bench and walked over to her.  He grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him.  "Are we speaking the same language here?  Because I don't know what you're talking about."

She jerked her arm away from his grasp.  "I saw you," she hissed.  "You and your little Clow tricks.  Did you think no one noticed?"

He was hearing the words, but she still wasn't making any sense.  "You'll have to be more specific.  I'm always pulling my 'little Clow tricks.'"

_I don't believe him, Tomoyo thought, seething.  __What gall!  "You fixed the auction so Sakura would win."_

_Aha!  Now we're getting somewhere.  "You're right.  I did."_

"But she loves Li."  

"Yes, I believe we've established that.  What's your point, Tomoyo?"  _Say it, he silently pleaded.  __Tell me. _

"Not only did you cheat, but you wasted your time."

"No, I didn't."  _I'm going to have to draw her a diagram, aren't I?  "Why do you think I cheated?"_

"Because you wanted to go out with Sakura."  She said it as if it were obvious.

"Why?"

She closed her eyes.  "Because you love her," she whispered sadly.

"Wrong!  But thanks for playing."  Her eyes snapped open.  He crossed his arms and looked at her intently.  "I swear, for someone so emotionally intuitive, you are completely blind to what's right in front of you."

She couldn't describe what she saw in his blue eyes.  _He's mocking me.  But he's serious, too.  And there's something else…  _

"I saw you, too, you know," he said, interrupting her thoughts.  He could see that she was confused, but he continued before she could speak.  "I think you wanted to go out with me, but you were afraid.  And so was I.  But not anymore."  He stepped closer to her.  "You see, my plan did work," he whispered.  "Now I know that you feel for me what I feel for you."  He gently rested his hands on her shoulders.  "I love you, Tomoyo."

She gasped, but the sound was lost as he covered her mouth with his.  She resisted at first, but then her arms snaked around his back and she opened her mouth to him.  He kissed her until it was absolutely necessary to stop for air.

"I'm sorry," he said, his lips moving against her dark hair as he held her close.  "It was a dirty trick.  I had to see if you cared.  The only thing I could think of was to try to make you jealous.  And you, my dear, were positively green."

"I was not," she replied indignantly.  He choked back a laugh.  "Okay, I was, and if I didn't love you, I'd kill you for what you did.  You're very lucky."

"Yes, I am."  He stroked her hair tenderly.  "I'm very lucky."

She let out a long sigh and felt the tension of the past few days flow out of her body.  She'd behaved horribly, and she owed everyone an apology.  But she'd worry about that later.  Right now she had more important things to think about.  She pulled away and looked up at him with a wicked smile.  

"But you're still playing the song too slowly."

~~-~~

The End


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